Chapter 41: The 7th layer is not a place to go to unprepare

As I found the stairway leading to the 6th layer, I happily headed there.

I was about to shorten my way.

However, as I came closer, I suddenly froze.

I immediately ducked and carefully hid myself inside a bush. Because there was a silver-colored wolf. He was not alone, but with a whole pack.

Around six or seven of them gathered there, as they were competing for eating animal corpses.

It beats me…

Although their bodies were not different from a normal wolf, their mane, glowing in a silver light, was giving off an unusual presence.

Even if it was clear that they were demons by their looks, I used 【Appraisal】 on them to be sure. Despite similarly-looking appearance, the most dangerous one was their leader.

Name: “Silver Wolf”
Level: 158
Skills:
【Strong Fang】 【Enhanced Reflexes C】 【Agility C】 【Leadership】

Compared with the Dango Bug, it was weaker, but there was a much worse possibility of getting swarmed by them.

I held my breath and started moving away from the Silver Wolves. If they saw me, I would be dead.

Even though it would be possible to defeat one of them, it would be a miracle if I would be able to win against the whole pack.

After returning to the safe zone, I breathed out a sigh of relief.

The Hidden Dungeon… Is not a place to easy to deal with.

As there was still enough food remaining for them to eat, those silver wolves were going to stay here for a while. It was dangerous to return to the stairs.

Eventually, before the Dungeon Portal skill becomes usable again, it was better to kill some time at the 7th layer.
I might as well look for the stairs leading to the 8th layer.

Anyways, this place is inside the forest.

The soil and the ground were quite realistic, with a dense thicket and abundant vegetation around, so the appearance of the stairs could easily escape one’s sight.

Compared with the other layers earlier, the situation at this layer is different.

If that is the case, I wonder if I should use THAT THING.

――【Great Sage】, let me know the location of the stairs leading to the 8th layer of this dungeon.

【It is not known】

What a blunt reply…

Though I kind of felt that some reply like that was coming.

There is a story about Hidden Dungeon being a legacy of God.

It is no wonder if you can’t figure it out with some superior skill.

To begin with, 【Great Sage】 knows a lot about this world, but not everything.

At least, he has limited information on personal information matters. Like that time earlier, what kind of secret had Ema been keeping from me? When I asked about it, a similar reply was returned.

I should not rely on this skill too much.

In situations, such as the information regarding the matters inside this dungeon, it is not that useful.

Fortunately, I had no headache this time, so I headed in the opposite direction from the silver wolves.

There were animal trails, similar to those of a normal forest, and… Yet again, the thing, which came out, was another Gold Dango!

*Roll* – and, as it saw me, it went right for an attack from the front.

Once it gains enough momentum, such attack is dangerous enough to cut trees, but it is not that dangerous at the time where it is just starting to roll.

The last time, such an attack didn’t hurt much at the very beginning. But that is if you take it from a close range.

Well, if that is the case…

So as to spoil its start, I released my 【Purple Lightning】 at the enemy and hit it with an electric shock.

As it’s attack takes some time to become a devastating one, I have to get rid of it before it gathers momentum. This time I needed to make use of my previous bitter experience. After all, learning from your experience is a very important matter.

I flipped over the shocked Golden Dango with my foot and gifted it with a powerful sword slash in response.

With this, it was split in two parts from just one hit.

After all, the knowledge about where to aim is quite important in order to defeat demons.

I have to advance further.

As I saw the very same scenery as earlier, my head went spinning.

While I was lost in thinking about the direction to go to, *bam* *bam* sounds resounded, as if some things were clashing against each other.

In front of my sight, there was a battle of 2 Dangos.

Don’t tell me that this place is a Dango territory?

I hid myself and started watching over the battle outcome.

Both of them hit each other with frontal attacks over and over, were pushed back and collided again.
Is it a territorial conflict?

They would casually do it until one of them reaches its limit.

*Smash*

So harsh… They had no reservations.

The victorious one was also worn out, so at best it was unable to move. That’s where my turn was.

I approached with a dash from behind, put my foot under it, and flipped it over that way.

「Take it!」

One is down. And, after delivering a finishing blow, I promptly left the place. This is exactly what “Hit and run” strategy means.

If you live you life as an adventurer and dungeon seeker, you must have patience.

「Still, I feel a bit tired.」

As there were no enemies in the vicinity, I leaned my back against one separately standing tree to get some rest. So far I had an intention to stick to this place up to the time when I would be able to escape this place with my skill.

I opened my bag to check the Gold and Silver Kabuto bugs there.

There they were, moreover, they were not fighting. They are getting along well, with the gold one.

Maybe because of the peaceful atmosphere, I was falling into a doze. The chirping of the birds became a lullaby.

My head became hazy.I started dreaming.

Ema and Luna-san came to tickle me. “Stop it” – I’m complaining, but then, to make the things worse, Laura-san and Alice joined as well.

There, I’m so sensitive there…

As I leaked those words, I gradually awakened from my dream.

「………..?」

I don’t get what is happening now.

Why I’m floating?

The outstretched branches of the tree were tangled around my arms, gradually lifting my body while holding it. And on the trunk of the tree, there was a mouth with fierce beast-like fangs, and that mouth was open.

That is, it was going to eat…

It is that kind of thing what was happening…

「Cr*p, it was a monster all along?!」

【Appraisal】.

As I thought, it was a monster transformed into tree, or rather a tree demon.

It’s name was Killer Tree, but fortunately it was only level 21, which was not too high.

As it was about to eat me, I desperately put my feet on its upper and lower jaws and did my best to prevent the mouth from closing.

The tree branch was wrapped near the wrist, but, since my palm and fingers were free, I burned the enemy with a jet of 【White Flame】.

It took damage!

Once the strength of the tree branch was weakened, I was released, and, at the moment of landing I fired a White Flame Stone Bullet inside the huge mouth of the enemy with 【Magic Fusion】. Suffering from the burns, the branches of the tree were winding violently. Soon after that the Killer Tree has stopped moving.

As it would be likely to cause a forest fire, I immediately used 【Water Ball】 around the place to extinguish it.

No way, it caught me off-guard.

An opponent who is moving is not the only enemy.

Next time, before taking a rest, I have to check everything with 【Appraisal Eye】.

Eventually, I used up the magic power quite a lot.

I feel dull.

Soon my Dungeon Portal skill is going to be usable again.

「I have a favor to ask you. Will you help me with that power of yours?」

「――Yes?」

I let out a reluctant reply at such a sudden question.

Startled and shaking, I turned around.

There was no one there… but that’s not it.

Donn the line of my sight there was a girl around seven or eight years old standing there.

A very cute girl, who unconsciously would relax one’s thoughts.

But, still, there is no way for a normal helpless girl to be at this kind of place…

As I put my 【Appraisal Eye】 in use, a very convincing information was returned.

Apparently, this girl is not a human being.